What to do if you lose your keys?

Mar 31, 2017

You’ve reached your car only to discover you’ve lost your keys. We’ve all been in that situation and most of the time they show up in the corner of our handbags of stuffed in our back pockets, but what happens when you’ve lost them for good?

According to recent studies, 25% of drivers have lost their keys or have had them stolen. Such mishaps often lead to sudden panic and confusion. Will you have to pay for a new set of keys? And if so, how much will it cost? Below, we answer these questions and more to help ensure you know exactly what to do if you ever lose your car keys.

Claiming on your motor insurance

One of your main options is to claim the cost of replacing your lost keys on your motor insurance. Before doing so, you’ll need to make sure your insurance covers keys in its policy. However, many people are reluctant to take this route since you may have to pay an excess price and this can often be even more expensive than the cost of the keys. In addition, you could also unintentionally put your no claims bonus on the line, which is a huge drawback.

Call an auto locksmith

Before splashing out on a new pair of keys, you may want to consider calling a car locksmith. Depending on who you choose, you could get a good deal and save a lot of money. They’ll be able to help you with your car, truck, van or motorcycle but they’ll also require important information. This includes the make and model of your car, your vehicle’s registration number, vehicle identification number and your own personal identification.

Replacing your car keys

It may be cheaper to simply pay for a new set of keys yourself to avoid any excess costs. The cost of your new keys will depend on your vehicle. For example, the average cost of a pair of keys for a Renault Clio 2002 is £480, a Ford Galaxy 2003 costs £250 and a VW Polo 2009 can cost up to £780.

The best advice anyone can give you is to take care of your car keys. Replacing them can be expensive, so it’s a good idea to leave them in a place that’s easy to remember and make sure they won’t fall out of your pocket or bag etc. when you’re on the move.